Harry Potter And The Third Wizardry War
by Theshadowphoenixx
Summary: What if the battle of Hogwarts failed? What if after all the fight Voldemort disapparated with his remaining followers. Harry will have to take matters in his hands. New unexpected friends and new enemies. No slash
1. Chapter 1

The wizardry world was in chaos. Both sides were now back to their holes, licking their battle wounds. The battle of Hogwarts was written down in magical history to be a complete disaster. Both sides had believed that this was it. The final battle. They had fought with every breath and ounce of magic that flought in their bodies. Both fought valiantly, but many had fallen in the battle. But they continued fighting believing that they must win, or die trying. The two sides would have accepted their loss a little bit easily had they known that their beloved ones hadn't died in vain. They had used every hidden card they had kept up their sleeves for the final strike. Spies were uncovered from both sides and masks thundered to the floors showing the true faces of their wearers. But they discovered also alot of allies on the other side. Many of them, they had mistrusted.

* * *

she sighed knowing that these thoughts would do her no good to ponderon. She was released from the Hogwarts infirmary an hour ago. She had went straight for the headmaster's office, but like she predicted. The portrait above the headmaster's chair was empty just like the seat under it. She was sitting in the chair  
infront of the desk while getting lost in her own battle demons.

She had seen the ugly aftermath of the battle when she had woked in the white infirmary bed. She saw the terrified faces of the young children with their friends and family's terrified faces hovering above it. She had heard the screams of the people who were still trapped in their minds being held hostage by their inner demons. But on the second day every one had a privacy charms placed on their beds, and some beds had the curtains embracing them from the outter world. She knew that she had slipped off the hook easily with only some cuts and brusies accompiend with the common magical core drain that made Poppy keep her another day even when she had healed her fully, she had been warned to not use magic for the next three days unless it was an emergency.

Minvera McGonagall sighed, it seemed that she was the only one from the order that had left the infirmary. "Not the only one, it seems" said a deep voice,


	2. Chapter 2

Minvera McGonagall sighed, it seemed that she was the only one from the order that had left the infirmary. "Not the only one, it seems" said a deep voice

* * *

Minevra quickly raised her wand towards the dark doorway, she could feel the blood pulsing through her neck. She knew she was not that magically replinshed to go into a full duel with a death eater and a death eater that had slipped through all the aurors who were walking through the castle. "Show yourself!" Asked Minevra bravely, her voice not betraying her worry. A black cloaked figure swept into her office. "It is I" said the deep voice. She tightened her hand in the wand still not seeing the intruder. The figure walked deeper into the light. And there stood Severus Snape with all his glory. Minevra's wand arm slumped to her side with a gasp at the sight of her former headmaster. "Severus!" Gasped Minevra as she launched herself fully towards the dark robbed man. She hadnearly knocked him with her speed. He stood still in her arms, rigid as a wood board. But after a minute he melted in her hug and returned it. And to Severus' surprise the woman in his arms started to sob in his chest and he could feel her damping his robes with tears. She was crying. But why.

* * *

Minevra was in full emotional chaos. She couldn't really believe her luck. She had been truly broken when she had heard that Severus had killed her old time friend. She had loather him, but more for betraying her than killing Albus. And when he had returned as a headmaster, she hated him more and she didn't try to hide it. She had even one spitted in his face, but he hadn't done a thing in return. But when she had learned about Severus' true loyalties from the mouth of Harry Potter had felt her heart drop to the bloodied ground. She hadn't know if he had escaped alive or was he lying dead in some dark coldcorridor, but she had known that she would never forgive herself if she didn't have a chance to ask for his forgiveness. But now he was standing there  
infront of her and she could do nothing more than cling to him in fear of him disappearing.

* * *

"Oh, Severus. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry" sobbed Minvera in the msucular chest that she knew was heavily littered with scars. Severus was speechless. He had come her thinking the office of the headmaster would be empty, but he had been told by the gargoyle that Minevra was upstairs. It had been a way charmed by Albus to allow Severus to know if there was a minstry offcial in the office thus avoiding any unneeded attention. But when he had been looking at her through the open door of the office he had heard her easily in his head wish had nearly made him smirk at how Gryffindors will always be loud even in their own minds. And when he had walked into the office, he was sure that he might get cursed, slappedor shouted at making the hug even more a surprise.  
"It's okay, Minevra. I would have believed myself." Said Severus softly to her with a small smile, savouring the moment of her hug. Minevra was sometimes more than just a college or a friend, there had been nights that Severus felt like she was his mother. Minutes ticked byand they kept their embrace fearing that if they let go the other might disappear. But after along hug they pulled a part to study each other carefully. Severus noted away from the magical drain that there was  
only a small cut on the left side of her face, but other than that she was good. But when Minevra scaned Severus' overly pale face, she traced the bandage that crossed Severus' forehead going from the right side of his hairline and continuing to the left side to disappear above his left ear. She also saw the bandage that was covered by his collar that she knew must be covering the wound he had gotten from You-Know-Who's own pet, Nagini. It was the irony of life that the potion that saved Severus' life was the same one he had invented to save the life of Arthur Weasley who had also been bitten by the queen cobra. And being a magical cobra, her poison was very rare that the order had lost hope until he had came late to an order meeting with the antitoide. She sighed as she caressed his cheek and he rested his head on her palm. She waited until he opened his eyes before she walked towards the empty chair in front of the headmaster's desk with Severus following  
her not far behind. She watched as he slowly lowered his body into the cold chair with a sigh, and for the first time she noted the cane that he had been leaning on which he now had it rested against the polished desk. Severus had been aching and the pain from his neck wound had been pulsing all over his body, had now lessened. Minevra studied his blank face that she knew was hiding the pain.


	3. Chapter 3

_She waited a few minutes for him to drop the blank mask. He sighed and opened his eyes to look into hers. "So, what now?" asked the potions master. Minevra quirked an eye brow at him, "What?" asked Minevra as she gazed back at him into his depthless onyx eyes. "What about the order?" asked Severus as his lips quirked, Minevra openly smiled. "The order of the Phoenix, What about it?" asked Minevra with the smile still plastered on her face which Severus replied with a smirk of mirth. Both head of houses had teased the leader of the light for his choice of names and also the leader of the dark, but their leader would only play offended and leave the two members of the order to snicker together. Both were lost in their memories for a moment before they both shook their heads, returning to the present. "What is the next step that it is going to take?"_ _asked Severus with mirth still in his eyes. "Well, from now on. We will have a new method" said Minevra as she sat a little bit straighter. Severus focused on her knowing that she already had a plan. "What is it? A new Harry Potter?" asked Severus saying the name as if it left a sour taste in his mouth which made Minevra frown at him for a moment before returning her focus on the topic. She sat even straighter and puffed her chest a little bit" No, but a new leader" said Minevra proudly. She studied Severus' empty face. It didn't take a genius to guess who was the new leader, and when the information clicked in Sev' head he felt the room temperature drop dangerously. Minevra watched as the little color that Severus had gained in the few days drained quickly as if flushed, then his magic unleashed. The room rattled with raw magic and the furniture began to leviate itself. Suddenly he swooped like a viper towards her with such speed furiously like a wild panther. "NO…No way. OVER MY DEAD COLD BODY. I WON'T ALLOW YOU. NO!" shouted Severus viciously, his face inches away from Minevra's. She unconsciously backed away from him for a moment. She didn't see the sarcastic potions master and double agent for the light side, she saw the angry inner circle death eater. The one who dueled against the Malfoy Senior Abraxas Malfoy in his initiation, the one who dueled against Bellatrix Lestrange and got off with only a few small cuts, the one had seen the death of many innocent people wizards and muggles alike. But mostly the one who had concord death multiple times during the night, refusing to take the easy way and go with him leaving the war going on behind him. She saw the real darkness that filled those pit less eyes. But she was not the head of Gryffindor for nothing, so she gathered all her courage and looked him in the eye returning his glare. "And why, in Merlin's name, not. It is not that you want it, but if you do then have it. You can take the leadership" hissed Minevra bitterly. She knew she had struck a chord because as her words sunk in she felt all the magic settle and calm down. The magic that had been radiating and bouncing off the walls in waves, returned to the wizard. She knew that this was not the reason was shouting but she had needed to shock him into silence before he exploded and buried them into the office's ruins. "WHAT! No that's not…No. I didn't mean that and you know. I just don't want… I want…" said Severus as he stood numbly thinking himself. He didn't know how to explain it. Minevra has just returned to him, and now he was going to lose her again. He was still mourning the death of Albus Dumbeldore, and he wasn't ready to mourn anyone else. Minevra waited knowing that he was looking for the right words to voice his thoughts. "You don't understand…Taking the leadership will make you a plain target for the death eater to aim at. You are already targeted for being the right hand of the leader of the light Albus Dumbeldore. You don't know what they plan to do, and I can't spy anymore to tell you when they will attack next. Every death eater meeting I had attended, they planned a new raid against the leader of the light thinking that someday he might fall into the trap. They believe that it is like fishing, you just have to be patient and wait for the fish to fall into the trap and get hooked. I will not allow it. No…I am not ready to lose you again" shouted Severus but in the last sentence he whispered to himself even though he was sure that she would be able to hear it. And hear it she did, she was touched by this confession. She had never had children, but there were ones as good. She knew also that even when Severus felt something towards someone, he may never confess it unless he had gained his full and ultimate trust. She felt something moving in her eye vision, looking up it was Severus. He was still standing but he was swaying dangerously in his spot, he gripped the desk with his white knuckles. She stood up quickly but she was interrupted as someone knocked on the door. Severus could feel as the adrenaline was draining out of him as soon as he had finished his rant. He was trying to keep steady for a moment so he could disappear in the dungeons away from Minevra's eyes, but it only increased and he had to grip the oak desk with all his hope that he wouldn't faint in front of her. But in the end his body won the battle against his mind, dragging it into the black unconsciousness. The last thing he remembered was Minevra's shouting and the feeling of his fields falling and crumbling down. Minevra was torn, she knew she could never carry Severus, he was taller than her and they would both fall to the ground. But all of that didn't stop her from shouting his name as his grip loosened and he began crumbling to the ground. She felt the door blast open at her shout but her eyes were fixed upon her son in all but name and blood fall. But before his head was smashed to the ground it was caught. She looked up to see who was, for the second time, the one that had walked in the office without her noticing._


	4. Chapter4

_But before his head was smashed to the ground it was caught. She looked up to see who was, for the second time, the one that had walked in the office without her noticing._  
/She nearly gasped as she looked in the deep hazel eyes of Remus Lupin. The man who looked thrice his age, with greying hairs and tired bones of a man who lived a hundred years. Remus looked back at the man in his arms, he silently stradled him making  
Severus' back rest onhis front. He held his wand at touched the tip to Severus' unbandaged side of his face and placed the other on the left side. He slowly but confidently began chanting in latin. It was a diagnostic charm, but that looked  
for magicl damage and curses. Atleast he thought that this was more dangerous than minir health problem like a simple cold. He continued chanting starting his scan from downward to upwards, with his eyes closed as he allowed his magic help him see. It  
was similar to feeling auras, you couldn't see anything but could still feel the magic as it pulsed through the body, he could already feel a strange strong angry pulse. It was near the chest, it was like the ocean's heavy tide in winter. He continued  
his fight until he felt the hole in the magic on the left side that he slipped through, but as soon as he had let his magic wander he felt as the part of magic inside the potions master's body being thrown towards him like a bullied child. He nearly gasped  
out loud but he bit his lips knowing that this was only his suspicion. He quickly allowed his magic to wander as close as it could get without being thrown to study the black ball of magic that was pulsing with dark magic.


	5. Chapter 5

It was one of the scariest thing he had ever felt. The man that he was stradling was cursed. Cursed for life. He stayed silent trying to take in the situation. He shouldn't tell Minevra. It was Severus' choice, he didn't even know if the man himself knew that he was dying. But this was Severus Snape, the one who easily got an "O" in O.W.L.S along with The Maraduers. "Remus!" whispered Minevra quietly as she glanced at the glazed eyed man. She was scared out of her wits. She could feel as the blood rushed through her ears. She was not going to lose him again. "He's alright, Minevra. Just overly exhausted. Poppy wouldn't have allowed him to leave his bed unless he had escaped." said Remus with a soft smile that really didn't reach his eyes. His shoulders were hunched, and his now silver hair that had a few golden strands that fell to cover his eyes abit. "Hellp me change his bandage so he can be comfortable." said Remus trying to disattract her and succeed in making her turn. He slowly covered the potion's master chest with his wand, he didn't know if he was imagining it or not. But he could feel a faint pulse of the curse. "Accio bandages" ordered Minevra as the said bandages flew to her hands. "You can do it, my hands are bust at the moment" said Remus trying to lighten the mood by acting naturally. Minevra banished the soaked bandages with her eyes half closed, she knew that she was going to meet a sight that will haunt her. And true to her words Minevra felt light headed aas she looked at the deep, seeping wound that looked like it was a centimeter away from the skull. She cut a piece of the bandage and removed the blood from the wound, then she wrapped the bandage around Severus' head. After she was fininshed she petted his hair knowing that he can't bite her hands off now while he was unconscious. Remus kept quiet while Minevra took her time wrappinh Severus' head to decide his next move. "I am going to take him to his quarters. He will sleep for atleast five hours so he better get comfortable." said Remus with his breath held, waiting for Minevra's reply. His friends had always told him that he was the worst lier. But it seemed that his professor may have lost some of her former glory, in dedecting lies meters away, during the war. "Of course. You are right. Maybe you should use the floo to get there easier." said Minevra as she turned towards her fireplace and open the floo powder jar. Remus let out a breath that he had been holding and moved his legs to return the blood into them. Minevra helped Remus stand while keeping a hand on both of her cubs. Remus frowned and looked at the black claded back. The man wasn't heavy at all, and that was saying something as Remus couldn't even lift his bags and because of Severus' height. The man was a foot taller than him. Minevra was already lost in her own thoughts as she steadied both of them. Remus then placed an arm behind Severus' knees and raised his feets off the floor. Minevra quickly threw the floo powder changing the red fire into a beautiful emerald green that reflected in the brown-hazel eyes of Remus as he stepped through after he shouted his destiny. "Severus Snape Office".


	6. Chapter 6

Minevra quickly threw the floo powder changing the red fire into a beautiful emerald green that reflected in the brown-hazel eyes of Remus as he stepped through after he shouted his destiny. "Severus Snape Office".

* * *

Remus stepped out of the fireplace into a dark room. He turned towards the fireplace and wandlessly lit a fire in it to cover the room in its soft heat. He directed his wand at the stiff chair that was placed in front of the huge intimating desk and transfigured it into a comfortable leather couch. He slowly placed the potions master on it and knelt beside him. The man didn't look like he was dying, he looked like any man who was still in the middle of the war. Remus sighed; he didn't know what to do. He didn't even know if he should do anything. Had James or Sirius been here, they would have said just to leave the greasy git to his death. But James and Sirius weren't here, and so he felt compelled to do something. Ever since Sirius's death, he felt like he was alone, regardless of the attempts of Tonks to talk to him. He didn't need a girlfriend or that sort of things. He needed a friend, a brother to be there for him. And so he unconsciously began trying to be friendly with the former spy, at least he had tried, but then the cursed night of the astronomy tower happened. Oh, how he had loathed Severus, but sometimes he would feel that there was something missing. He looked up to watch the slow rise and fall of the man's chest. And without thinking he recast the spell, still in denial. 'r _evelabit in tenebris_ _'_ said Remus in a low tone. He closed his eyes and felt the small tug of his magic as a part of it searched every inch of Snape's body from toe to head. He could feel magic pulsing dangerously as soon as he cast the spell, but he continued his search until he reached the man's chest, it was like reading auras. He knew that he should end the spell now, but he allowed his magic to creep closer to pulsing dark ball of magic. He had allowed it just a bit when his magic was thrown back outside towards him, like a ragged useless doll, and slammed him to the floor knocking the breath out of him. Remus gasped, his breath coming in rapid intakes of breath. It was one of the strongest surges he had ever felt. It was dark and powerful, even the wolf was scared of it. Remus pushed himself off the cold floor that had lost some of its chill from the fireplace. He knelt again next to the potions master but he kept a good distance between them. He looked at the contorted face of the potions master, he was waking up. Remus took a step back, knowing that Snape would blast his head off his shoulders the moment his eyes fell on him. So he stood up and walked back slowly, he looked behind him to prevent tripping and falling into the fireplace but a sudden blast of a spell sizzled next to him to strike the wall behind him leaving a black spot on the stone wall. Remus, with his breath coming in rapid gasps, looked at the black coal eyes of the potions master that was now sitting up with his wand pointing at Remus. Both of them were thinking the same thing, he had missed the spell. If Remus had learned a thing from fighting with the order and against Severus several times was that Severus never missed a target. He had always hit the bull's eye, regardless of that target. Whether it was moving, invisible or flying. And had just missed a target that was a few inches away from him, a target that was an easy prey for a student. Snape was the first to shake the shock off first, "Lupin, to what do I owe this gracious visit to my office?" asked Snape in his usual acidic tone, that made Remus sigh in relief to know that the old self of the potions master was back. At least he could deal with this Snape. "And hello to you too, you are wondering, I had just carried you from the headmistress office unconscious. So I think you owe me a few answers?" said Remus, his eyes as innocent as a first year Hufflepuff. He was dealing with the Slytherin head of house himself, so he had to be witty and cautious with him to get his answers. "I owe you nothing, werewolf. So now I suggest that you return to your precious cubs." Snarled Snape as he got up and slammed the door of his office open and jerked his head towards it. "Out" hissed Snape. Remus casually strolled towards him and closed the door. "I will do no such things. You have a few answers to give me. Unless you would like to give such answers in front of certain witches. Especially after knowing about the ill well being of a certain potions master and a certain curse." Said Remus casually as if he wasn't black mailing a certain Slytherin while playing with his wand. Snape growled and silently retuned to take his seat on the leather couch and rubbed his face. Remus smirked knowing that he had won this little battle against the potions master. 1-0 to the werewolf. Remus followed Snape and leaned against the desk, waiting for the man to speak. Severus was already as distracted as it can be. Many thoughts were flying all around his head in frenzy; he hadn't counted on surviving this war. He had always known that he will be killed on the field by the dark side; even Albus knew so but didn't say it. They both knew that he won't survive this war and the chances of the headmaster at first were more than the potions master's. And now he also had also the curse to deal with. Shit, he thought, he had to deal with Potter too. He had given the boy his memories for two reasons, firstly to allow Harry to see his mother knowing that she wasn't that mentioned by the maruders and he didn't want her memory to die with him, secondly to make him understand that he wasn't truly that evil to kill the boy's mentor. He knew how it felt to lose your mentor. Snape was considering if he should tell Lupin the truth. There was nothing to stop him from telling him the truth as his cover was already blown, and this man was a Gryffindor. So he will find out the truth anyway, and by doing so half the population of Britain would know about it. He was already tired and couldn't muster up the will to lie anymore; he had told enough lies to last a lifetime. "What do you want to know, Lupin?" asked Severus softly. Remus' arms fell as he found that the man was giving up without a fight at all, that he was caught off guard. "What happened? Who cursed you?" asked Remus slowly, he didn't ask many questions at once knowing that this would drive the potions master away. Severus sighed again and placed the palm of his head over his forehead at rested his elbow on his knee. "I went to the meeting after the night of the astronomy tower. The dark lord was pleased of what had happened, he didn't think of much punishment for taking Draco's mission. I had been told that I will be rewarded, this attack on Hogwarts made Lucius even more helpless as he was pushed out of the dark lord's inner circle. The dark lord was already replacing Lucius, his right hand servant, with me. And so, the hate of the inner circle was directed on me. They knew not to mess with me for who I was and also for being the dark lord's most trusted servant especially as he knew that I won't spend any more time with the light side. So all the inner circle followed me when I was leaving the meeting a few weeks after the incident and tried to ambush me, I had the upper hand for the whole duel, until I was cursed. It came from the front but no one was standing there and there was a deadlier looking curse directed from Bella at my back, I was still deciding which to take care of first when the dark lord realized that there was a duel going outside. So he sent a warning with the mark making all of us freeze at the white blazing of the mark which made me unable to avoid either of the curses. They all apparated before me and I followed them returning to my house as soon as possible. Upon landing I realized the true effect of the two curses, Bella's was easy. It was one of her usual nerve damaging curses. I totally forgot about the other curse until I saw the mark it left behind. I stopped it for a while but after a few months it returned but it spread more viciously than before and the effects of it were increasing. I didn't have any time to find any potion that might remove the curse because of The Carrows. They were torturing the students, and I couldn't leave them for more than five minutes before the killed one. And so the progress of the curse easily increased in the months before the war. No one knows about the curse except me, the caster of the curse and now you" said Severus calmly with his eyes closed and his head resting on the back of the couch. he hadn't meant to tell Lupin the whole story but once the first words fell from his mouth the others tumbled after them, he couldn't stop imself and it was the first time since Dumbeldore's death that he talked to someone. Remus' mind was still reeling from the idea that the potions master gave up so quickly that he nearly didn't put up a fight to tell him the full story. what was even more strange was that he wasn't lying, the man was telling the truth. The potions master wasn't the only one who could detect a lie. Snape was admitting that he was dying and he certainly didn't know how to break the curse, thought Remus. The curse was like muggle cancer. It spread slowly in the beginning but as the time passes it grows stronger and destroys every organ and call in its path.

* * *

A.N: I'm sooo sorry for doing this to you and not posting for months, but this is my first time and I and ask of you to be patient with me. And I could use some help so you can tell me any notes or comments on the review (I think it is in the review, nevermind.). And if you are reading thank you for still doing so even if I wouldn't have been that patient to read myself.


	7. Chapter 7

_Snape was admitting that he was dying and he certainly didn't know how to break the curse, thought Remus. The curse was like muggle cancer. It spread slowly in the beginning but as the time passes it grows stronger and destroys every organ and cell in its path._

* * *

"So, when are you going to tell them?" asked Remus trying to break the silence. Severus jerked his head to him quickly, and Remus swore he heard a snap. "I'm not going to tell anyone, neither are you. And if I find that someone else knew of our little conversation, you will be a one sad werewolf." Hissed Snape with his wand held in his hand even though Remus could detect a slight tremor in it. "As you wish, Severus" said Remus with his hands held up harmlessly but they lowered slowly when his senses could smell the coppery smell of blood in the air. And true to his nose, he could see as blood spread on the new bandages that Minevra had recently changed. Remus looked into the black eyes that glazed until they closed and Snape's head slumped forward making Remus jump into action. He quickly checked the potions master's pulse, he found it. It wasn't strong but not weak. The curse was already destroying the man's system; he should try and find which one when he has the chance. The bleeding was increasing and he placed his hand on the man's head to lift the soft black hair to find blood smeared also from his head wound. Severus' breath was now hitching as Remus looked around him to find anything, he turned to look at the huge dark desk and he quickly went to search for anything. He ran his palm on the surface until he felt a slight bump in the wood, he pressed on it and a small cabinet opened that had many potions vials in it. They must have been hidden here for a reason, thought Remus. They were varied in sizes; he took one of them quickly in his blood smeared hand and sniffed at it. He gasped and dropped the vial as it chattered on the desk, its smell still burning his lungs and stinging his eyes. It was a very heavy dose of painkiller that contained Silver; his head swam for a few seconds until the effect decreased. He cautiously took one of the vials and ran back to the unconscious man. He checked the pulse, it was weaker than the first time but the man wasn't breathing properly at all. No, no one was going to die again on his watch, thought Remus bitterly as he flung the continents of the vial into Severus' mouth. A few drops fell from the man's mouth then he swallowed the rest. Remus placed the vial to the side to avoid any contact with the silver potion. The man had added silver to the painkiller, and concentrated silver with a vast amount in the batch. It wasn't even common for painkillers to have silver in them because it was expensive, but it should have a strong effect on the body. But it should have aftereffects for this huge dose; suddenly he slapped his forehead sharply at what he had done. He had dosed the man with the full vial even though it was destructively concentrated. He felt something drip on his face and he touched his lips slowly, his nose was bleeding heavily from the silver and he could feel the metallic taste of blood in his mouth as blood flowed from his nose. His head was fuzzy as the wolf was stirring from the silver, he hadn't heard of anyone transforming on a day that wasn't the full moon but he could feel like he would. The room suddenly was filled with green light as the flames of the fireplace blazed dangerously as someone flooed into the office. He quickly directed his wand and stood in front of Severus protectively even though his vision was starting to darken on the edges.

* * *

Minevra stopped dead at the sight that met her. Remus was pointing his wand at her, "What's wrong, Remus? Where is Severus?" asked Minevra softly and slowly took out her wand when Remus didn't reply her but she could already see the black robes of Severus behind him. She inched closer to the side and took in the sight of Severus' bloodied face and neck. She gasped and trained her wand at Remus who she noted had a glazed look into his now gold eyes. The werewolf's eyes, and Remus' face was bloodied at the mouth and teeth. She looked at Severus and surely his neck was bleeding. "What have you done to him?" screamed Minevra as the golden eyes gazed at her. ' _Stupefy!_ ' shouted Minevra as she stun him and then bound him with ropes as she couldn't find it in her to make them silver, he fell limply onto the couch next to the unconscious ex-death eater. She kept her wand trained at Remus for a few seconds then she ran towards Severus as she tried to shake him slowly. When he didn't answer her as she hoped he would she went back to the fireplace and called for Poppy. She waited anxiously as she watched two of her remaining students who were covered in blood. She couldn't help the few tears that fell from her eyes and the sob that escaped out of her mouth. Luckily, Poppy came when Minevra felt like she would suffocate from the tightness of her chest at the sight of her cubs. Poppy gasped but she professionally conjured two beds and placed both wizards carefully on them and then each one of the witches held on one of the wizards and went through the flames towards the now empty infirmary. "Place him slowly on the bed" ordered Poppy as she placed Remus on the bed and started scanning him. Minevra couldn't take her eyes off Severus and as gentle as humanly possible she levitated Severus onto the infirmary white bed, she removed the black locks that had fell on his face. A shiver ran down her spin as her hands touched his blood, she didn't move that much when Poppy came to her side to scan him. She cleaned both wounds and Minevra breathed a little easier when she the blood was removed as it had soaked her hands.

* * *

"What is wrong, Poppy?" asked Minevra as she ran her hands through the bloodied hair. "They are both, alright. Nothing that couldn't be healed with a good night rest." Said Poppy as she patted the black clad legs softly with a sad look in her eyes as she gazed at both wizards and then at the witch that looked stoic but was shivering from inside. "Come, Minevra. You need to rest too." Said Poppy as she placed on the other witch's shoulder. Minevra shook her head as she sat at the edge of Severus' bed and kept running her hand in his hair. "What happened, here? The infirmary is empty except for those two." Asked Minevra softly for the sake of breaking the tension. Poppy sighed and sat on the edge of Remus' bed and placed her hand on his. "Most of the patients have been moved to as the school infirmary was just hosting them until they could deal with all of the major damages that needed professionals. And the professors and minor injured were sent here for the moment. They all were sent after you were released this morning." Said Poppy as she noticed how a bit of the tension left as she went on with her tale. She would have suggested a calming draught hadn't she known how stubborn the Gryffindor head of house was. "What do you think had happened, Poppy?"Asked Minevra as she looked into the still face and looked at the hair. A silver hair had wrapped itself around her fingers letting her remember how fast these boys had grown. "Remus had been in contact with silver, that might explain all the blood and how he is unconscious. Severus had overly exhausted himself as his body is still fighting the venom of the snake, and his wounds open easily because of the poison. They will heal but they will take some time." Said Poppy as she felt Remus stir under her hand, she stroked him softly and he breathed deeply again. "What did you find before you called for me?" asked Poppy after she felt that her patient had gone back to sleep. "I…I found Remus first. He had his wand pointed at me but I thought it was just a mere reflex, and then I saw Severus. His face was covered in blood and his neck too. And when I looked back at Remus his eyes weren't his. It was the werewolf looking at me, it didn't attack me. I noticed the blood on his mouth, I thought that he had bitten Severus or killed him. I wasn't thinking straight." Said Minevra as she gazed at Remus, she felt the tightness again in her chest when she remembered that she nearly had killed him by thinking of the silver ropes. "It's alright, Minevra. You did well; none of the boys are hurt." Said Poppy as she coaxed Minevra into standing and going to the matron's office o try and slip a calming draught into her tea.

* * *

Remus straightens in his bed as soon as echo of the witches' feet stopped. He had lost control, was all Remus could think of. He looked at Severus in the bed next to him, he was breathing okay so Remus turned his head back. He rested again in his bed and fell asleep again as soon as his head touched the pillows. He kept going in and out of consciousness for more than three hours till he gave up trying to sleep again. He sat up and turned for the thousand times to look at the sleeping figure next to him. His eyes took a moment to adjust in the dark as the moonlight flittered from the window opposite them. Severus was murmuring in his sleep incoherent words that Remus couldn't understand, and his head was tossing from side to side. Remus stood up and went to sit in the chair next to the bed. He touched the warm hand that was gripping the white sheets. It felt good in the cold night's chill that ran through the stone of the castle. His hand tentatively went to touch the black strands that were a contrast on the white sheets. He frowned when he could feel that Snape's hair wasn't greasy at all, and he couldn't help feeling guilty at what he had thought of it when he was with the marauders. His hand brushed against the cold skin of Severus' face. He was lost in his thoughts when a thought struck him, why is his hand warm. Remus straitened at this thought and he slowly touched the now hot hand, it was the left hand. And even though every instinct in him told him not to, Remus slowly eased the black sleeve. The dark mark, it was inflamed and red. The snake was moving dangerously and quickly around the skull, and the skin around the mark was red and the one nearest the mark was cracked and had a black hue in it as if the ink was slowly seeping through it. Snape's face was now clammy and a few sweat drops slipped off the sides of his face. Remus' eyes were locked onto the mark, it was the first time he saw it from this distance. He slowly inched his hand over it and felt the magic in it as it tried to stop his hand but he stubbornly did and he touched it. There was a sudden blast as for the second time he was thrown by the burst of magic and nearly got his head split in the bed. But he ignored it as his ears listened to inhuman shouts of agony that fell from the man's mouth. Severus was shouting at the top his lungs and the sound echoed off into the castle, his back was arched in pain. Tears fell from Remus' eyes unconsciously at the sheer amount of pain that rippled through the man's voice, and Remus cursed his Gryffindor instincts that for the second time that day caused the Slytherin so much pain. "POPPY. HELP! ANYONE PLEASE, HELP HIM!" shouted Remus as he sobbed in the floor next to Severus as the man continued screaming, regardless of his shout the matron had already been on her way towards them. "Severus!" gasped Poppy as she her eyes fell on the tortured man. She just stood there with her hands on her mouth to try and stifle the sobs that were wracking her. The doors of the infirmary slammed into the wall; even though they had been open, to reveal Minevra. She literally ran to Severus' side and she nearly dropped at the sheer agony that her cub was in. "Poppy, do something. Please help him. Make it stop" said Minevra as she sobbed openly as she tried to hold Severus' hand. Poppy just shook her head as more tears streamed down her face. "Nothing could be done; any magical contact will only fuel it. Only Albus knew how to ease it. He'll have to fight it alone." Said Poppy as she sat on the chair next to the bed in defeat. She had already had her share of screams in the last few days, but to hear it from someone she knew and loved dearly was another thing. After a few minutes of screaming it began to stop, but they knew it was just because he didn't have any more energy to do so. So he reverted to the sobs with his body shaking, tears were streaming also from his eyes to fall to the sides of his face. It has taken fifteen minutes for the pain to end and mercy to be at last granted for Severus to be knocked unconscious even though slight tremors racked his body every few minutes. Remus was sitting at the end of Severus' bed, Minevra on Severus' right and Poppy on the chair to his left. There was no sound but the unconscious man's screams were still ringing in their heads. "It's my entire fault" whispered Remus pitifully while he was shaking on the bed. Minevra dried her face and looked up to him with red rimmed eyes. "I didn't know. I touched it…I touched the mark. And then he screamed" Said Remus as he regarded the shaking man that was now covered in the heavy blanket that the mediwitch had conjured.


End file.
